Feed claw and shutter movement for motion-picture mechanisms



Oct. 12, 1948.

L. o. THUNBERG 2,451,452 FEED CLAW AND SHUTTER MOVEMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 20. 1946 .FNVENTOR, LEA/V0519 O. THU/V5596 ATTORNEYS .Patented Oct. 12, 1948 FEED CLAW AND SHUTTER MOVEMENT FOR MOTIONJICTURE MECHANISMS Leander 010v Thunberg, Johnson City, N. Y., as-

.signor to General Aniline & Film Corporation, New York, N. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application November 20, 1946, Serial No. 711,052 4 Claims. (oi. sis-18.4)

This application pertains to an invention in feed claw and shutter movements for motion picture apparatus, such as motion picture cameras and projectors.

conventional elements incidental to feeding and taking up the film as it is exposed.

On the wall I I there are provided two brackets l3 and it between the angularly projecting parts Among the objects of the invention is that oi 5' of which is supported a guide post l5. That guide devising a simple and eil'ective feed claw and post i! serves as a bearing for a shuttle generally shutter blade actuating means of such type that indicated by numeral i8 and having the angularly a more or less unitary driving element is employed 32 1:3192; t'glarligsltii ivlhicIl ihargadiilllgdatg foam; to impart movement to those parts. a n o e e re s v Another object of the invention is that of de- 10 a a 08m engaging fol ow r for the shuttle. The vising a mechanism of the type described which shuttle I6 also has p fli forwardly in e shall function to impart definite, cam controlled di ection 0 We t a then at right angles t movements to a film feeding claw and to a shutter to as a a an W ich terminates in a and shall impart such motion to these elements wlfid. 'Irxhis Tells; 1i; s zriietllimes reiigred to a? in definite synchronization. 16 a D 0W 9 W a gns w a row 0 Another object oi the invention is that oi devisgerfiiiraiigms 22 210 s fg poi t ge film F. t'Ihelfilrn ing a mechanism of the type described in which ere n S DWI! an e y e 0 camera 0 W 0 noise shall be kept at a minimum and wherein thelnvention is pp i merely y W y f ill sthere shall be no lost motion after an extended gratglm {is an BtmmftIYpe cIatmieri fgr a sco-cillgg period Q1 wear, 20 cu emm. ype m. s 0 e um ers 0 It is another object of the invention to devise that 1she invention is by no a s imited to any a simple, effective feed claw motion in which a Particular film y P t r type o t camera or pro as or. gi tfieiiiz pt i tizfi aii d gls o t o i r iainiafn tt cfi i A Spring 23 is under compression or is otherwise of ii in. I

Other objects of the invention will become ap- Justable collar 24 locked by means 01 a set screw parent asthe disclosure progzgsses and bg reieri 'wgg gl l ggiiggg2:35? gi gnlzvoastdlijmghg ence to the accompanying sures of rawing 8 wherein like reference numerals represent like med 1118 the 4 so that the Spring y parts in the several views. A detailed description Sg g lil pzgg egz 32 38s llleenntisltlg agjugstetd or one embodiment which the invention ma take 8 e .7 0T5 011a Y e c n will be given. In the figures of drawing: y The upper end 01' t e sp i pro cts laterally s Fig, 1 is an elevation of as much f the mecha at 28 to engage a part of the shuttle, and the nism and attendant parts 01' a moving picture 0013a! 24 is 80 i d that the spring, in addiclamfra aiiis necessary for an understanding of 22 2921 5 31 3 58 12 2185 as opiligggzrglizgd gmnoigiitt To;

e nven on. b

2 1 a section taken at line 2 mg shuttle and the claw carried thereby in a direc- Fi 3 i a secflgn t k t line 3 3 mg 1 tion such that the claw will always tend to engage Fig. 3a is partial section taken at line act-3a, 40 against the surface of film F and to enter the PM 2 perforations 22 when in alignment therewith,

R f i to the figures the side Wall 50 and By rotating the collar 24, the spring 23 may be a transverse wall i i, parts of a typical moving 2:23 :31 153222 2 228; 5 515 3523; 222 13: picture a are ShQWn in Figs 2 and but forations with that degree of certainty necessary, wall ii is omitted in Fig. 1 since its presence there but avoiding excessive pressure such as might would only serve b0 confuse. An intermediate jure the mm upon. the return stroke at which wan is indicated dotted lines in 1 and time the claw slips from one perforation to slide in full lines in Figs. 3 and 3a, and it is to be unupwardly along the s f of the film until it derstood that the space between walls In and i2 is snaps t t xt following perforation, The that Occupied byihesprins m r r other ower compression in the spring may be adjusted by means for the While that Space at the raising or lowering the collar so that without un- Othel side 01 Wall is p d by the l pdue pressure against the cam, the engagement parts t r fo cor s on wh ch it wou d a d between it and cam 21 will be assured. The film from which it is withdrawn, sprockets, and other engaging end of the claw is beveled in the conventional; manner as in Patents 2,211,334 or 2,095,850,\ thereby to permit it to be withdrawn from the film perforations upon upward movement of shuttle i3.

Cam 2'! is fixed for rotation with a shaft 33 pivoted at either end in suitable bearings and driven by a motor and certain intermediate gearing (not shown) meshing with a gear 39 fixedly attached to the shaft. The shaft also has fixed for rotation therewith a second cam 30 which imparts the necessary movement to the shutter.

Cam 31, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, is so designed as to impart the required movement to the claw so as to move the film quickly, but without undue strain, and to permit as long a period of rest between the advancing of one frame and that of the next as is practicable.

A shutter comprising a blade 3| at the end of an arm 32 fixed on a shaft at 33 is movable by the face cam 30 as that cam engages a roller or ball type follower 34 set'ina holder 35 at the end of a lever or arm 33 which is also attached to shaft 4 blade fixed thereon, a shaft adapted to be driven by a source of motive power and having rotatable therewith two cams, one said cam engaging with the slidable member for moving it and the claw for advancing the film from frame to frame during exposure, a spring fixed against rotation at one end and being connected at its other end to the slidable member, said spring being under torsion to press the claw against the film for engaging perforations therein, and further being longitudinally loaded to maintain the member in engagement with its actuating cam, an operating lever fixed to said pivoted shaft for movement with said shutter and having a follower engaging the cam surface of the other of said cams, and resilient means for maintaining said follower in engagement with the said other cam.

33 and connected for simultaneous movement with the arm 32 which carries the shutter blade itself. The blade 3| covers theexposure apere ture (not shown). The pivot shaft 33 for the shutter blade and lever 36 passes through the wall II in which there is a bushing or other suitable bearing upon which the parts are free to be moved. A spring 31 is coiled about the shaft 33 and is fixed at one end to lever 36 and at the other end to a pin 33 projecting from wall II. 'This spring 31 tends to move the shutter blade upwardly and to maintain the follower 34 in contact with thecam surface of the cam 33. The follower the socket or holder 35 and, therefore, develops a minimum of friction against the said cam.

The cam face itself is so designed that the shutter is opened rapidly and is likewise closed very rapidly and remains in open position for the intended duration while the film F is mantained absolutely stationary. Since the cams 21 and 33 is a hardened steel ball set for free rotation in are mounted on the same shaft 28, it is possible'to' design the effective contours thereof to give the very best timing of the parts and also to impart the most desirable movement to both the claw and to the shutter blade. The different functions controlled may be designed and set so that one follows.

another or precedes another by an extremely small interval of time. The various functions always recur in the exact predetermined time for which the mechanism is designed and cannot get out of synchronism as may possibly happen in other mechanisms in which the parts are not so corelated.

Since the follower 34 is always maintained in contact with its cam as is the upper surface of shuttle I6 with the cam 21, the parts function with no appreciable noise and that condition prevails even after a very extended period of wear.

2. A combined feed claw and shutter mechanism for motion picture apparatus which includes a guide post, a shuttle slidable on said guide post and carrying a film engaging claw, a pivoted shaft and a shutter blade fixed thereon, adriven shaft having fixed for rotation therewith two cams, one said cam engaging with the shuttle for moving it and the claw for'advancing the film from frame to frame during exposure, a spring fixed against rotation at one endand being connected at its other end to the shuttle and biased to press the claw against the film for engaging perforations therein, said spring further being longitudinally loaded to maintain the shuttle in engagement with its actuating cam, an operating lever fixed to said pivoted shaft for movement with said shutter and having a follower engaging the other of said cams, and resilient means for maintaining said follower in engagement with that cam.

3. A combined feed claw and shutter mechanism for motion picture apparatus which includes a guide post, a shuttle slidable on said guide post and carrying a film engaging claw, a pivoted shaft and a shutter blade fixed thereon, a driven shaft having fixed for rotation therewith two cams, one said cam engaging with the shuttle for moving it and the claw for advancing the film from frame to frame during exposure, a spring fixed against rotationat one end by attachment to a collar on said post, and being connected at its other end to the shuttle, said spring being under compression between said collar and a part of said shuttle to urge it in one direction and further being under torsion for turning the shuttle about the post thereby to press the claw against the film to en-.. gage the perforations therein, an operating lever movable with said pivoted shutter and having a follower at its free end for engagement with the second of said cams on said shaft, and a spring under tension and so disposed as to maintan the said follower in engagement with the surface of said cam.

While one embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A combined feed claw and shutter mechanism for motion picture apparatus which includes a guide means, a member slidable on said guide means, said member having as a part thereof a film engaging claw, a pivoted shaft and a shutter 4. A combined feed claw and shutter mechanism for motion picture apparatus which includes a guide post, a shuttle slidable on said guide post and carrying a film engaging claw, a pivoted shaft and an arm having one end attached to said pivoted shaft and having at its other end a shutter blade, a driven shaft having fixed for rotation therewith two cams, one of said cams being adapted to impart the necessary movements for actuating said claw and being engaged with a surface of said shuttle for moving the shuttle and its claw to advance the film from frame to frame during exposure, a spring coiled about said post and having oneend fixed to an adjustable collar on said post and its other end engageable with the said shuttle, said spring being under .com-

film thereby to engage erforations in the film, a 5

lever extending from the pivoted shaft on which the shutter blade and its arm are fixed, said lever carrying a follower for engagement with the cam surface on the second of said cams carried by said shaft, and a spring for urging said lever, arm and e shutter blade in one direction about said pivot and for maintaining the follower in engagement with the cam surface.

LEANDER OLOV 'I'I-IUNBERG.

8 REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,437,152 Roop Nov. 28, 1922 1,868,331 Merle July 19, 1932 FOREIGN PA'I'ENTS Number Country Date 244,081 Great Britain May 13, 1926 451,395

Germany Oct. 26, 1927 

